27/11/2020

Regulation of
Laboratory for
Drinking
Water Analysis
Rose Mylene A. Sotocinal
RMT, AMT, MACT
QAMD, HFSRB, DOH

4th National Conference of Chemical Laboratories

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ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER
No. 2020-0031

PD No. 856
‘Code on Sanitation of the Philippines’

RA No. 9275
‘Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004’

AO 2006-0024
‘Rules and Regulations Governing the
Accreditation of Laboratories for Drinking
Water Analysis’

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ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER
No. 2020-0031
July 17, 2020

“Revised Rules and Regulations

Governing the Accreditation of Laboratories for
Drinking Water Analysis”

ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER
No. 2020-0031

OBJECTIVE

• To provide updated guidelines on the

accreditation of laboratories for drinking
water analysis to be able to generate accurate
and reliable results.

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SCOPE AND COVERAGE

• Government (National and Local agencies)

• Private entities

• Exceptions:
Academic training and/or research
Internal or in-house monitoring only

ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER
No. 2020-0031

GENERAL GUIDELINES

1. Secure a DOH-COA
2. HFSRB and CHD-RLED shall exercise its
regulatory function
3. Regulation of Radiologic or radioactive
contaminants in water
4. LDWA shall only perform testing within the
accredited services.

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5. LDWA shall comply with the prescribed standards and

requirements.
6. Director III of HFSRB, shall approve the issuance
of the DOH-COA of the LDWA in the absence
of Director IV.
7. In CHD, Assistant Regional Director (ARD), shall
approve the issuance of the DOH-COA of the
LDWA in the absence of Director IV.

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No. 2020-0031

SPECIFIC GUIDELINES

A. Classification

1. Ownership:
a. Government
b. Private
2. Institutional Character:
a. Institution based
b. Non-institution based

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3. Service Capability

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No. 2020-0031

SPECIFIC GUIDELINES
B. Technical Requirements
1. Physical Plant
a. Located in a permanent building with adequate
water and power supply, proper drainage and
adequate ventilation.
b. Space requirements shall be based on the
activities done within the laboratory.
c. The laboratory workspace shall be based
on the volume and type of analysis to perform.

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B. Technical Requirements

Area Requirement for Non- Institution Based

a. Classification A — 20 sqm.

b. Classification B — 50 sqm.

c. Classification C — 70 sqm.

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ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER
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B. Technical Requirements
1. Physical Plant....
d. Adequate bench top area for sample
processing; storage area for chemicals,
glassware and supplies.
e. Separation between adjacent areas with
unrelated activities
f. Appropriate waste disposal system
g. Adequate physical provisions for effective
safety procedures

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B. Technical Requirements
2. Personnel
a. Headship
CATEGORY HEAD REQUIREMENT
A Sanitary Engineer
Clinical Pathologist 3 years Admin.
Medical Technologist Mgt., Technical
Certified Microbiologist Experience &
3 years in service
B Chemist
Masters Degree
C Both A & B & same w/ A & B

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ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER
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B. Technical Requirements
2. Personnel
c. Laboratory aide
b. Analysts d. Water Sampler

MICROBIOLOGY
Medical Technologist
Certified Microbiologist
Food Technologist
PHYSICO-CHEMICAL
Registered Chemist
Registered Chemical
Technician under the
supervision of Registered
Chemist

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B. Technical Requirements..

3. Equipment, Reagents, Supplies

4. Analytical Methods
5. Quality & Technical Manual
6. Laboratory Report
7. Labotatory Records
8. Quality Management
9. Proficiency Testing
10. Outsourcing

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C. Certificate of Accreditation
• Valid for three (3) years
• Non- transferrable
• Notify HFSRB within 15 days for changes
• Transfer of location- new application
• Separate accreditation for LDWA branches
• Under OSS – no need for separate COA
• COA posted in conspicuous place
• Secure copy of this AO

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D. Application Procedures
1. Application
• HFSRB for initial ; CHD-RLD for renewal
• LDWA under OSS, Administrative Order No. 2018-001
6 dated June 4, 2018
2. Requirements:
a. Application form
b. DTI or SEC Registration (new)
c. Renewal of DOH-COA (Classification B and C,
Certificate of Authority to Operate from PRC- Board of
Chemistry)
d. Copy of OR payment

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3. Application fee is non-refundable

4. Assessment of LDWA
5. COA – issued upon compliance with the accreditation
requirements.
Non-compliance - thirty (30) days or denied
6. Complete applications not processed within 20days

E. Monitoring
1. HFSRB conducts unannounced ocular visit
2. PRC-Chemist Board monitoring findings

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Violations and Sanctions

1. COA may be suspended or revoked
a. Issuance of fraudulent water testing results
b. Transferring of laboratory results done by another
laboratory to the result form of the referring laboratory
c. Reporting of test results which are not actually done
d. Performing laboratory procedures beyond their authorized
service capability
e. Unauthorized use of the name and signature of the head of
the laboratory and/or the analysts;

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f. Permitting unauthorized or unregistered persons to

perform technical procedures

g. Change in the ownership, location, and head of the

laboratory or laboratory personnel without informing
the HFSRB/CHD-RLED

h. Refusal to allow monitoring visits of the LDWA by

HFSRB/CHD-RLED authorized personnel at any
appropriate time

i. Any material false statement in the application

j. Other violations similar or analogous to the above

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2. Sanctions shall be imposed for the following violations

VIOLATION
Non- Participation to EQAP
SANCTION
1st Offence: Stern Warning
2nd Offense: Php 30,000
3rd Offense: Php 50,000
4th Offense: Revocation

Unsatisfactory rating to 1st Offense: Stern Warning

EQAP with corrective action or
revoke of COA
• May file a notice of appeal within ten (10) days after
the receipt of notice of decision.

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Transitory Provisions

• All existing accredited laboratories - two (2) years to

fully comply with the new requirements including physic
al structures from the date of effectivity of this AO.

• New laboratories, this A.O. shall be strictly followed

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Thank you
Keep safe!
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